S.M.Yahya - The
Modern Architect of Anjuman
by S.M.Shuaib Koteshwar
Anjuman Hami-e-Muslimeen is now a parent organization
of a network Of institutions imparting education from
nursery level to graduation in different faculties
- Arts, Science, Commerce, and also a BBA and Engineering
college. Like many other institutions Anjuman also
made its humble beginning in the year 1919 by the
founding fathers Janab F.A.Hassan. M.M Siddique and
I.H.Siddique by starting a Primary school. The Educational
Policy of the Nationalization of primary education
of the then British Government snatched away this
school. Anjuman decided to venture into the field
of secondary and higher secondary education to compensate
the loss. The first batch of Matriculates passed out
in the year 1942. Braving all the odds, difficulties
and challenges, with constraints of paucity of funds
our members nourished and nurtured it with dedication,
hard work and selfless service. Their efforts were
slowly but certainly crowned with success. In the
year 1944 Anjuman celebrated its Silver Jubilee on
a grand scale.
After Independence the Siddique duo vacated the field
of action as the process of ageing would naturally
have it, and Mr J.H.Shamsuddin, Janab S.H.Hassan and
S.P.Badsha occupied the center stage. The combined
efforts of Mr S.M.Syed Mohiddin, Mr Kazia Mohammed
Hassan and Mr Usman Hassan Headmaster of Anjuman High
School became fruitful when permission was granted
to start Arts and Science College in 1968. It was
at this time Mr S.M.Yahya 
emerged
on the center stage as a General Secretary of the
Anjuman under the president-ship of Mr Moulana Syed
Mohiddin. He came from rich family and had the advantage
of completing his academic studies from the reputed
schools and colleges. The advent of Mr. S.M.Yahya
on the scene opened a new chapter in the annals of
Anjuman. For a genius like Mr Yahya it did not take
long to plan, organize and execute things towards
the fulfillment of the destined aims and attainment
of goals. He was a simple man with extra-ordinary
talent, His education, intellect far-sight and perception
earned him love and respect wherever he went. He was
amultifaceted personality - A teacher, a lawyer, thinker
and an educationist. Yahya was a rare gift to the
people of Bhatkal. and. a pride of the community to
which he belonged. It is in decades or centuries that
a personality of such caliber takes birth.
With S.M.Yahya at the helm of affairs there was no
looking back for Anjuman. This was the period when
the team of office bearers came up with proposals
for the development and expansion Of the sphere of
activities. But they could not be carried out because
Mr. S.M.Yahya entered the Legislative Assembly in
the year 1971 as an M.L.A.
In the year 1972 when Anjuman celebrated its golden
Jubilee, Yahya took full advantage of his position
and. involved a number of Educationists, Dignitaries,
and other Eminent Personalities to participate in
the Jubilee Functions, they offered useful suggestions.
It also proved a boost to our cause of expansion and
in the fulfillment of our long. cherished. dreams.
In one of the functions of Golden Jubilee, when the
education minister was on the. dais Mr Yahya requested
him to restore us the primary school and make good
for the injustice we had suffered in the past. As
a special gesture of goodwill and love the minister
was kind enough to do the needful by granting permission
to start new primary school under private management
though it was not the usual policy of the education
department. When things at Government and bureaucratic
level were solved by Mr Yahya, for implementation
of plans and projects he was ably assisted by Mr M.A.
Ghani and Mr. D.H. Shabber. It was because of their
fast and long association they formed a perfect Trio.
Among the trio it was Mr. D.H. Shabber who shouldered
the responsibility of giving new dimensions to the
primary school. He will feel proud when he looks back
for the long and fruitful service of 25 years in which
he was actively involved in the development of Anjuman
as a Joint Secretary & General Secretary.
The Karnataka University had refused permission to
start commerce faculty in the already established
arts and Science College. It was mainly due to the
effort of Mr S.M.Yahya who prevailed upon the universities
to allow us to have commerce along with arts & science
and not as a separate entity. The college was housed
in high school building and we were facing accommodation
and infrastructure problems. Our application with
the Government of Karnataka to grant a suitable plot
of land was long pending. Again it was Yahya who played
a key role in solving this problem. The visit of late
Sri K.H.Patel the then Hon. Minister for Forest, Government
of Karnataka, was considered an opportunate moment
to convince him in person the urgency of our need
To make a beginning he offered a stretch of 10 acres
of land on the top of the hillock. The construction
of a new building for college was taken up and completed
in record time. Mr S.M.Yahya again utilized to maximum
as a General Secretary of Anjuman and M.L.A. to consolidate
the gains of land acquisition and infrastructure expansion.,
when the then Hon. Chief Minister late Sri Devaraj
Urs visited Bhatkal
There was more in waiting for the management of Anjuman
as Yahya had made up his mind to secure from the Government
permission to start an Engineering college because
the entire district of Uttara Kannada was without
a center of technical education He felt that a candle
in hand was already burning spreading the light of
learning.
The pleasant personality and winning approach of
Mr S M Yahya was such that he had an uncanny knack
at getting things done He succeeded in getting the
permission to start an Engineering college and he
conveyed this decision in person to the Management.
Though the credit goes to Mr Yahya who was instrumental
in bringing a technical institute at Bhatkal the challenging
task was accepted by the Anjuman executive and they
resolved and decided to work with dedication to make
the dream come true. Though, the establishing of the
engineering college with all its requirements was
a formidable task, it was Mr M.A.Ghani who shouldered
the responsibility along with his team. His tenure
as vice president of Anjuman for 15 years was an eventful
period.
The members of management felt that the growth of
Anjuman was one-sided, there was a pressing need to
have separate Girls High School and even a pre-university
and degree college as the girl students felt deprived
for long to enjoy the rich benifits of education.
When this was conveyed to Mr.S.M.Yahya who was then
very busy in official capacity as minister, yet he
did not disappoint us. As usual he gave top priority
as he felt it was a genuine necessity, and took up
necassary steps and the government's decision came
swiftly.
Mr. S.M.Yahya was a gentleman polititian among the
politicians. He was non-corrupt, honest, committed
and conscientions in the otherwise corrupt and polluted
scenario. He was elevated to several portfolios as
a minister of wakfs, finance, labour, industry and
education. The entire teaching fraternity will respectfully
remember him and will be ever grateful to him because
it was Mr. S.M.Yahya who introduced the cheque system
to check the exploitation and harassment of teachers
who were under paid by some managements. Inspite of
the fact that he was engaged in political activities
his interest in the progress and prosperity of Anjuman
was unaffected. Countless were the contributions he
made, invaluabe were the services from which we have
greatly benefited. It is not only the Anjuman but
also the entire society that has gained so much from
him. Mr. S.M.Yahya is not of an age but for all times.
Mr. S.M.Yahya passed away after a brief illness on
28th January 1998. Now we are celebrating our platinum
jubilee without him. We mourn the loss of the proud
son of Bhatkal. His deeds and virtues will continue
to shine and the sands of time can never wipe them
off. We pray Allah Almighty - May his sould rest in
peace.
